Building Insurance - Accidental Damage

amanda40

My hubby chipped toilet bowl, when trying to take off the old seat and replace with a new one. It is quite a bad crack and at the side where the kids stand to brush their teeth. Phoned Insurance Co today to claim on my insurance, but they say that you have to have accidental damage for building insurance to be covered. Does that mean if you have a fire - started by accident etc you would not be covered. Has anyone else come across this before. :mad:

Pink.

Hi amanda,

I think that you will get more replies to your thread on the Insurance board, so I hope that you don't mind if I move your thread over there.

Pink

amanda40

thanks wasn't sure where to put it!

mara

Some building policies include accidental damage to sanitary items as part of the standard cover - might be worth checking your policy wording.

ben500

What insurance company are you with, I don't know of any that do not include AD to Sanitware as standard on the policy most include "fixed glass" to this cover also, this extends cover to any "fixed glass" in the property such as external and internal windows, glass in furniture such as coffee tables wall units etc.

I doubt very much that cover for sanitware is not on your policy if you identify your policy I will be able to confirm whether or not you have cover in place for you, but I need to know who is underwriting the policy not your broker or brand name of the policy.

MarkyMarkD

I agree with ben - this is a standard policy feature. But the fact that the insurers stated that it would not be covered, may mean that they are the exception that prove the rule - or just as likely, that their staff don't realise that sanitaryware is not subject to the usual exclusion.

payless

Not being included under standard cover is not as rare as it used to be

greenwich

amanda40 wrote:

Does that mean if you have a fire - started by accident etc you would not be covered.

You certainly would be covered, because it's the fire that would be caused by accident not the damage. I can't speak for others but on my buildings policy the accidental damage cover is an optional extra, so people can opt for a lower premium by not having it.

ben500

MarkyMarkD wrote:

I agree with ben - this is a standard policy feature. But the fact that the insurers stated that it would not be covered, may mean that they are the exception that prove the rule - or just as likely, that their staff don't realise that sanitaryware is not subject to the usual exclusion.

It is common for staff at notification to make this mistake, I would suggest you call again and ask specifically if your policy covers accidental damage to glass and sanitary ware, I'm quite confident if you get them to check you will have the cover in place, if not change your insurance company because if they are so tight as to exclude this you can guarantee it is going to get a lot worse should you have a more serious claim in the future.